Apparatus for feeding batch to glass melting furnaces



3 Sheets-Sheet l E. H. LORENZ APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BATCH TO GLASS MELTING FURNACES In ven tor:

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Edward May 24, 1949.

FiledjAug. 2a, 1945 E. H. LORENZ May 24, 1949. 2,471,336

- APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BATCH To y GLASS MELTING FURNAcEs Filed Aug. 28, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ww ma Mm vd .w m@ ...M w WW M 721,715 tu ess:

May 24, 1949- E. H. LORENZ 2,471,336

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BATCH T0 GLAss Emme FUnNAcEs Filed Aug.' ?8.l 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 96 f 9a l ""HNu ug Z9 l Q Q A I lll/lllIllll/IIIIIIIIIIIIIlI/lll I E Q 95V :a 1x55 rfoo SZ f 6: ,00

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Patented May 24, 1949 Y rials or batch to glass one side edge thereof.

PPABATUS Foa FEEDING BATCH 'ro GLASS MELTIN G FURNACES Edward n. Lorenz, West Hartford, conn., mimmto Hartford-Empire Company,

Hartford, Conn.,

a corporation of Delaware c yApplication August 28, 1945, Serial No. 613,095 (ci. 214-23) 3 Claims.

This invention relatesg'enerally to improvements in devices' for feeding glass-making matemelting furnaces and more particularly to batch feeders of that type which employs a mechanically operated feeding member to push o otherwise feed batch from a feed chamber iig o a glass-making furnace or tank to which the batch feeder has been applied.

In one form of batch feeder of the type to which the present invention more particularly relates, as disclosed in the U. S. patent to Hiller, No. 1,941,897, of January 2, 1934, the batch feed chamber has an outletat its forward end from which batch may pass directly into a charging opening in a vertical wall of a melting furnace to which the batch feeder has been applied. The inlet of the batch feed chamber is at its top and well toward its forward end so that batch may be delivered by gravity through such inlet to lill the feed chamber from its forward or outlet end to the chamber inlet and "til an accumulation of batch in the chamber rearwardly of the inlet has assumed a natural slope line. feeding member is a plate which is curved arcuately from its rearward to its forward edge and is oscillated edgewise in the batch in the feed chamber about a horizontal axis; 'coincident with the axis' of curvature of the plate so that the forward edge of the plate moves in the batch along a substantially horizontal path toward andv from the chamber outlet. The portion of the curved batch feed plate in the feed chamber is spaced from all adjacent batch confining @retaining walls of the chamber. This and the means for mounting and oscillating the plate edgewlse in the lbatch are intended to preclude clogging of the device by uncrushed glass parisons or other relatively large pieces of -cullet during the oscillations of the plate and to prevent the plate from impelling or carrying batch rearwardly by its retractive stroke in the feed chamber. The batch feeder is mounted on a wheeled truck so that it may be moved to and from an operative position against the furnace wall containing the charging opening.

In the form of batch feeder referred to, a crank having a driven connection with a motor transmits motion through a series of pivotally connected vrigid links and levers to the curved batch feeding plate so as to oscillate the plate positively both on its forward, batch feeding stroke, and on its rearward, retractive stroke, the driving force .being applied to the plate directly at only In the improved batch feeder of the present invention, the batch feeding member -is arcuately The batch curved and is mounted to oscillate in the batch in the feed chamber about an axis coincident with the axis of curvature of the member, as in the prior batch feeder above referred to. However, instead of beinga single. curved plate. pro'- viding only a thin, forward edge to push batch forward toward the charging opening of the furnace to which the batch feeder has been applied, the curved pusher of the improved feeder may be a curved hollow body of lsubstantially rectangular configuration in cross section, pro-v viding a front end batch pushing surface having a vertical dimension at least several times the thickness of the plate of the prior batch feeder. The oscillating pusher of the batch feeder of the present invention therefore will impel more batch in a more accurately regulable manner during its forward, workingstroke than the oscillating feeding member of the prior batch feeder. 'I'he present invention also provides an effective means of simple construction in dust-tight, wiping contact with the upper and side surfaces of the oscillating curved batch pusher to prevent batch and dust from being impelled or carried rearwardly in the feed chamber bythe rearward, retractive stroke of the pusher.

A further improvement feature of the batch feeder of the present invention resides in the construction and mode of operation of the mechanism for oscillating the batch pusher in the feed chamber. This mechanism comprises a motordriven crank and a connecting rod unit mounted at one end on the crank opposite end to the oscillatory unit at one side of the latter, the connecting rod unit being constructed and arranged to actuate the pusher in the manner of a rigid link unless and until the pusher encounters an obstruction to its forward movement in the batch whereupon a spring in the rod unit will be compressed to increase the effective length of the unit so that the pusher may be halted until the obstruction has been'removed while the crank continues to turn. Preferably, one such crank and its connecting rod unit and connections are provided at each of the opposite sides of the pusher. The connections between the connecting rod units and the pusher simultaneously and to the same extent by a simple and reliable adjusting mechanism to vary the amplitude of the strokes of the pusher.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a compressible gasket and associate structure to seal the connection between the batch feed chamber and the adjacent vertical wall of a melting furnace at the bottom and sides of the furnace charging opening when the batch feeder has been operatively applied to the furnace. Such structure may also be such as to provide for local cooling of the portion of the furnace wall surrounding the charging opening.

The batch feed chamber of the improved batch feeder of the present invention may be open at the top and rear to permit ready access to the interior of the chamber, as for insertion therein or implement to break up or dislodge any substantial. mass of batch or other large body of material beneath the pusher or in any other position in the feed chamber where it tends to obstruct or interfere with the operation of the feeder. Y

Other improved features of the batch feeder of the present invention hereinafter will be pointed out or will become apparent from the following description of a practical` embodiment of such invention, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a feeder as applied to a glass melting furnace, a fragmentary portion only of the latter being shown and that in vertical section; y

Fig. 2 is a rear or outer end view of the batch feeder;

Fig. 3 is a relatively enlarged detail view, mainly in vertical section substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, of the connecting rod unit and its connections in the batch pusher driving mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a relatively enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view along approximately the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, showing the cooling and sealing provisions between the outlet end of the batch feed chamber and the adjacent furnace wall.

The improved batch feeder shown in the drawings comprises 'a feed chamber I, Fig. 1, 2, 4 and 5, having a fiat bottom wall 2 and a pair of straight, upstanding parallel side walls 3, one of which is shown to advantage in Fig. 1. The feed chamber I may be open at its top, rear end and front end, and the latter may serve as the feed outlet of the chamber as hereinafter will be explained.

The side walls 3 of the batch feed chamber may be upward contlnuations of side walls 4 of an underneath chamber 5, the bottom wall of which, designated 6, Figs. 1 and 2, may be formed separately from the side walls 4 and supported between them at the desired level, as on the supporting bars 1 which are attached to the inner sides of such side walls. The chamber 5 may house a motor 8 and a combined shaft and transmission housing 9 which may be supported upon and attached to the chamber floor 6 in a conventional manner.

The batch feeder structure above described may be carried by a framework I upon a truck or carriage II, Figs. 1 and 2. The truck or carriage has a pair of peripherally grooved front wheels I2 and a pair of similar rear wheels I3. These are, adapted to vrun upon track rails I4. The latter are supported upon the factory floor I at a place in the factory suitable to permit the batch feeder to bemoved as a unit on the rails to and from an operative position in relationto a vertical wall I6 of a glass-making furnace or tank, a fragmentary portion of which is indicated generally at I1'in Fig. 1. When the batch feeder is in its operative position, as

side elevation of the improved batch' I bottom walls,

shownY in Fig. 1, it may be retained there securely by the holding pressure exerted by a lack screw I9 on a rear axle I9 of the supporting truck or carriage Il, the Jack screw being screwed through an apertured -block or nut 20 on a bar 2i which is pivotally attached at its forward end, at 22, to a fixed cross rod 23 between the track rails. When the jack screw has been loosened, the bar 2i will swing downwardly about the axis of the cross rod 23 so that the truck axle will clear the jack screw when the batch feeder is withdrawn from its operative position. In the example shown, the axes of rotation of the rear wheels I3 and of the front wheels I2, respectively, are oblique to each other, and the parallel track rails therefore are longitudinally curved suitably to permit both pairs oi.' wheels to run-properly on these rails. The axes of rotation of these pairs of wheels may, however, be parallel and in that event the track rails may be straight.

The oscillatory batch feeding member or pusher of the batch feeder may comprise a body,

designated 24, which is curved arcuately from its rearward to its forward edge and has its concavely curved surface uppermost, as best seen in Fig. 1. The pusher body 24 may be made of metal, or other suitable material, suitably formed to make the body hollow for the sake of lightness and of ksubstantially'rectangular configuration in cross-section and of uniform thickness throughout the portion thereof that works in the batch in the feed chamber. The pusher body thus has parallel, arcuately curved top and 25 and 26, respectively; parallel similar side walls 21; and a substantially rectangular front end wall 28. The front end wall 28 of the pusher body will contact with and push a substantial amount of batch in the feed chamber ahead of the pusher when the latter is moved on its forward, working stroke.

The side walls 3 of the batch feed chamber have upwardly projecting portions 29. A transversely extending shaft or axle 30 has its opposite end portions secured in aligned openings 3i in externally embossed or thickened portions 32 of these upward wall extensions 29, as best seen in Fig. 4. A tubular hub 33 is rotatably mounted on the axle 30 and extends thereon between the members 29, being provided at its opposite ends with a pair of rearwardly extending lever arms 34 which are best seen in Fig. l and are also shown in Fig. 2 and in part in Figs. 4 and 5. yRearwardly of the upward ex- 'tensions 29 of the chamber side walls 3, each lever arm 34 is provided with a pair of spaced outwardly projecting bosses or lugs 35, Figs. l and 2, to which the end portions 36 of an attaching strip 31 are firmly secured, as by cap bolts 38, Fig. 1. The attaching strip thus is spaced outwardly from the lever arm 34 to which it is secured and together with the latter constitutes a lever for supporting and oscillating the pusher body 24 in the batch feed chamber. The Vpusher body 24 it attached at the rear of its upper en d to the lever arms 34 in the example shown through the agency of inwardly extending flat attaching lugs 39, both shown in Fig. 2-and one in Fig. l, on the lever arms 34; lcooperative rearwardly extending fiat attaching lugs 40 on the upper part of the pusher body;

suitable shims or spacers between these lugs as indicated at 4I; and bolts 42 by which these parts are fastened securely together.

The motor 8, hereinbefore referred to, is opthe tubular member 51, 58, and to resist elongation of the connecting rod vided at its rearward end with eratively connected-.through ai coupling 43, a shaft 44, Fig. 1, and enmeshed gears '45 and 48, respec-` tively, Fig. 2, with a driven shaft 41 which is rotatably mounted in the-housing 8 and has its opposite end portions, designated 48, projecting outwardly beyond the side walls of the chamber 5. Each of these projecting end portions 48 of the shaft 41 carries a crank, one of which is shown at 48 in Fig. 3, fixed thereto as by a key 58. Each eccentric is provided with a crank strap or housing which is connected to the lower end portion of a rod 52, the connection being a threaded one, as indicated at 53, and therefore adjustable. The rod 52 is one of two telescopically associated sections of a connecting rod or driving link, which as a whole is designated 54 in Figs.

1, 2 and 3, the component parts thereof being shown in detail in the latter view. As shown in Fig. 3, the rod 52 extends upwardly through a central aperture 55 in the head of a cap 55 on the lower end of a tubular member 51 and in the bore of the latter into abutting relation at its upper end with a plug 58 which is xed in place, as by the pin 59, in the upper end portion of the tubular member 51. A nut 60 is carried by the upper end portion of the rod 52 and is slidable with the rod in the bore of the tubular member 51. A coil spring 6| encircles the rod 52 within the tubular member 51 and is compressed at its ends between the nut 50 and the head of the cap 56. The pressure exerted by the spring on these parts tends to maintain the upper end of the rod 52 at the limit of its telescoping movement in that is, against the plug by separation of these parts. The plug .58 is formed to provide a pair of integral upstanding arms 62 which straddle the attaching strip 31 on the lever arm 34 and carry between them a pivot pin 53 which extends through and is slidable along an arcuate slot 64, best seen in Fig. 1whereby the connecting rod unit is pivotally and adjustably connected to the pusher supporting lever. By adjusting along the slot the place of connection of the connecting rod with the pusher supporting lever, the working strokes of the pusher may be varied. Since there is a pusher supporting lever and a connecting rod at each of the sides of the batch feed chamber, a. mechanism may be provided to adjust the places of connection of the connecting rods with their levers simultaneously and to the same extent. 'This may comprise an adjusting screw 55 at each side of the batch feed chamber, each such screw being rotatably supported in a bearing 56 on the adjacent attaching strip 31 as shown for one of the screws 55 in Fig. 1 and each being screwed through and threadedly engaged with a, transverse opening 81 in a portion of the pivot pin 53. The screws 55 are provided with sprockets 58 connected by chain 59, Fig. 2, and one of the screws is proa crank handle 10. When this is turned. both adjusting screws will be turned in unison and `will effect like adiustments of the connections of the two connecting rods with their respective pusher levers. An index velement or pointer 1| may be mounted for movement with the pivot pin 53, Fig. 3, along a scale strip 12 on the attaching strip 31, Fig. 1, so as to indicate the extent of adjustment of the connection of a connecting rod with its lever.

A coil spring Y end, as at 14, to an integral end extension or ear 36a on the rearward end portion of the attaching strip 31 and is adiustably connected at its lower the edge of the 'aperture 8|, as by such as shown at 83, Fig. 5, so as 13, Fig. l, is attached at its upper 6 d N end.' as at 15. to a bracket 'Iton the framework structure. There are two of these springs 18, one at each side of 4the batch feeding chamber, as appears from Fig. 2. These springs are under tension and exert a balanced downward pull on the pusher-carrying levers. In consequence. the forward stroke of the pusher in the batch feed chamber will be caused by the coil springs I3 and 8|, the speed of such forward stroke being controlled by the rate of revolution of the motor driven cranks so long as there is no unyielding obstruction in the feed chamber to the forward movement of the pusher. Should the pusher encounter such an obstruction, its forward movement will be halted, the springs 6| of the connectlng rod units will be compressed, and the lower sections of these connecting rods will be pulled downwardly independently of the upper sections of such connecting rods by their connected cranks. A suitable tool or implement, not shown, may be inserted into the feed chamber beneath the pusher to remove or break without stoppage of the motor for drving the cranks or injury thereto. The rearward or return stroke of the pusher, against the resistance of the springs 13, will be effected by the cranks, acting through the connecting rods which then are in their fully telescoped condition, as shown in Fig. 3.

The forward portion of the batch feed chamber, in which the oscillating pusher works, is partiallyseparated from the remaining, more rearwardly p'ortion of the feed chamber by a transverse wall which comprises a forwardly and downwardly inclined uppersectlon 11, Figs. 4 and 5, welded or otherwise secured at its ends to the side walls 3 of the batch feed chamber. The wall section 11 is located above the oscillating pusher 24. A lower section of this transverse wall comprises a forwardly and downwardly inclined transverse portion 18 and a vertical lower portion 19. This lower section of the transverse wall may section 11, as' by being provided with brackets Il,

Figs. 2, 4 and 5, attached to the side walls 3 of the batch feed chamber. The vertical lower portion 19 of this transverse wall is cut away or apertured, as at 8|, Figs. 2, 4 and 5, to ailord clearance for the oscillating pusher 24. A gasket or packing strip 82 is secured in place on the front surface of the part 19 of the transverse wall around clamping means to project beyond the edge of the aperturel 8| against the side and upper surfaces of the oscillating pusher. The strip 82 may be made of brake-lining or any other suitable material. By the arrangement just described, dust is prevented from passing rearwardly from the f-ront portion of the batch feed chamber above or 'at the sides of the pusher and any batch that otherwise would be carried rearwardly by the pusher on its return stroke is wiped or positively removed therefrom.

The upper section 11 of the transverse wall above mentioned may serve also as a support for a batch supply hopper or chute 84. As lest seen in Fig. 5, this hopper or chute may be provided on its bottom with a flat hook 85, which is hooked over the transverse member 11. The chute or hopper 84 may have an upwardly enlarging upper portion 86. provided at its top with a rearwardly extending web 81 having attaching ears 88 thereon fastened, as at 89, Fig. 2, to upstanding angle arms 90. Ihe latter are attached. as at Il, Fig. 1,

` and 5, to the outlet end to a transverse angle bar 92 which spans the upper rearward and is secured in place in any suitable manner, as by welding to the side walls of that chamber.

The vertical wall I8 of the glass making tankl in Fig. 1, has a charging opening 93 formed through above the level, indicated at 94, of the glass bath in such tank or furnace. 'Ihe outer portion of the furnace wall I6, around the charging opening 93,

cooled cooling cooled frame opening and, as bottom portion furnace wall at the charging opening 93. is supported in place in any suitable manner, as by being provided with lateral attaching strips 90 fastened by bolts 99 to upright girdles |00 of the frame structure of the tank or furnace. The arrangement is such that the lower portion ofthe water-cooled cooling frame constitutes a watercooled sill for the charging opening 53. As shown, the outer part, of the upper surface of this frame 95. The hollow water- 95 extends around the charging shown, has an inwardly extending 9B located in a. recess 91 in the the bottom of the outer part of The water-cooled frame water-cooled sill is horizontal and level with the upper surface of the bottom wall or floor 2 of the batch feed chamber. The upper surface of the water-cooled sill then may slope downwardly and inwardly, as at |02, Fig. 1, to conform to the slope of the remaining portion, |03, of the bottom wall of the charging opening 99.

The internal space or within the water-cooled frame may be supplied with water or other cooling fluid from a supply pipe |05, which the frame. A uid discharge pipe |06 is operatively connected to the upper part of the watercooled frame.

A cooling nozzle |01, provided with a supply pipe partially shown at |00 in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, may be supported jin position to discharge air or other cooling uid into the I6 beneath the water-cooled sill. The nozzle has attaching ears |09 fastened upon projecting lugs ||0 on the girders |00, Figs. 2 and 4. It also m-ay be attached, as at ,and ||2, Fig. 4, to integral rearwardly extending lugs I3 on the lower portion of the water-cooled frame.

A sealing strip or gasket ||4 is secured at the bottom and sides of the outlet end of the batch feed chamber, as in a groove provided by attaching a series of Z-shaped lugs ||'5, Figs. 1, 4 portion of the batch feed chamber. The sealing strip or gasket ||4 may project beyond such outlet end against the bot tom and sides of the water-cooled frame around the charging opening in the wall of the furnace or tank. The individual lugs may be adjusted fore-and-aft in respect to the edge of the batch chamber outlet as each is attached to its supporting wall by a cap bolt ||6 extending through a slot ||1 in thelug and screwed into a suitable threaded opening ||0 in that wall. The arrangement is such that the sealing strip or gasket III, which may be made of asbestos or other suitable, compressible, heat-resistant material, will be compressed when the batch-feeder is moved to position against its tank or furnace to eifectually seal the space between the latter and the outlet end of the batch feeder to a sufciently high level to preclude spilling of batch between these parts.

From the foregoing description of the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the operation thereof will be readily understood.

portion of the batch feed chamber* extends into the sill portion of municating may be cooled by a hollow watercirculation chamber |04 recess 91 of the tank wall Batch may be supplied to the batch feed chamber through the hopper from any suitable source, not shown. to fill the forward portion of the batch feed chamber to the level of the outlet of the batch supply hopper. Batch, indicated at ||9 in Fig. 1, then will continuously illl the comfeedchamber outlet and at least the outer portion of the tank or furnace charging opening. Each forward stroke of the pusher 24 will cause a forward impulse on batch in the charging opening so that batch will be fed from the charging opening downwardly into the glass bath, as indicated at |20 in Fig. 1. The forward or working strokes of the batch pusher may be adjusted to obtain the desired batch feeding results.

I claim:

1. A batch feeder comprising a chamber adapty ed to receive a continuous supply ofv batch and land away from said outlet, the axis of the curvature of said pusher coinciding with the axis of said shaft, a transverse wall in said chamber having an aperture in its lower portion through which the pusher oscillates, a packing on said transverse wall around said aperture and in wiping contact with the surface of the oscillating pusher, a lever on each side of the pusher and fixedly connected thereto, each lever having an arcuate slot therein. a shaft vextending below said chamber in a direction transverse thereof, a crank on each of the oppositev ends of said second-named shaft, means for rotating the second-named shaft about its axis, a connecting rod comprising an'upper section and a lower section telescopically associated with each other and a compression spring acting on said sections to resist separation of said sections, said compression spring being arranged to yield if the pusher encounters an obstruction, the lower section of said connecting rod being mounted on the crank at a side of the pusher and the upper section of the connecting rod being adjustably connected with the slotted portion of the corresponding lever, there being a connecting rod at each of the opposite sides of the pusher, and a vertically disposed coil spring at each of the opposite sides of the pusher, each coil spring being attached at its upper end to the free end of said slotted lever and at its lower end to a fixed support so as to be under tension and to urge said pusher on its forward Stroke.

2. A batch feeder in accordance with claim 1 and, in combination therewith, a mechanism for adjusting in unison the connections of the upper sections of said connecting rods with the slotted portions of their levers.

3. A batch feeder comprising a chamber adapted to receive a continuous supply of batch a'nd having a forward end portion provided with an outlet, a shaft extending transversely across and above said chamber, an arcuately curved batch pusher mounted to cscillate about the axis of said shaft in the batch of said chamber toward and away from said outlet, the axis of the curvature of said pusher coinciding with the axis of said shaft, a transverse wall in said chamber having an aperture in its lower portion through which the pusher oscillates, a packing on said translverse wall around said aperture and in wiping 9 a lever at a side of thepusher and flxedly connected thereto, said lever having an arcuate slot therein, a shaft extending below said chamber in a direction transverse thereof, a crank on said second-named shaft, means for rotating the second-named shaft about its axis, a connecting rod comprising an upper section and a lower section telescopically associated with each other and a compression spring acting on said sections to resist separation of said sections, said compression spring being arranged to yield if the pusher encounters an obstruction, the lower section of said connecting rod being mounted on the crank and the upper section of the connecting rod being adjustably connected with the slotted portion of said lever, and a vertically disposed coil spring The following references are of EDWARD H. LORENZ.

REFERENCES CITED record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Huth June 25, 1929 Hiller Jan. 2, 1934 Halbach et al. Aug. 24, 1943 

